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Tsubame [JAXA]
Tsubame is small satellite mission built by Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo University of Science and JAXA to measure polarization of hard X-ray photons (30-200 keV) from gamma-ray bursts using azimuthal angle anisotropy of Compton-scattered photons and to demonstrate new technologies.
The objectives of Tsubame are as follows:
- on-orbit demonstration of newly developed Micro Control Moment Gyroscopes (CMGs),
- polarized gamma-ray burst (GRB) observation using a Hard X-Ray Compton Polarimeter (HXCP) and Wide field Burst Monitors (WBMs) with high-speed attitude maneuvering using Micro-CMGs,
- Earth observation with a small high-resolution optical camera.
Tsubame was launched piggy-back with a larger satellite and three other small satellites on a Dnepr rocket from the Yasni (Dombarovsky) cosmodrome in late 2014.
| Nation: | Japan |
|---|---|
| Type / Application: | Astronomy, X-ray |
| Operator: | Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo University of Science and JAXA |
| Contractors: | Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo University of Science and JAXA |
| Equipment: | |
| Configuration: | |
| Propulsion: | |
| Power: | Solar cells, batteries |
| Lifetime: | |
| Mass: | 49 kg |
| Orbit: | 504 km × 568 km, 97.47° |
| Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tsubame | 2014-070E | 06.11.2014 | Do LC-370/13 | Dnepr | with ASNARO 1, ChubuSat 1, Hodoyoshi 1, QSAT-EOS |
Launch Sites:
- Do = Yasniy site, Dombarovskiy Air Base, Orenburgskaya Oblast', Russia
References:
- Takahiro Toizumi et. al.: X-ray Polarimetry Small Satellite "TSUBAME"
